05.01.2026 | SUA 25th Anniversary Concert with Nestor Torres

SUA 25th Anniversary Concert with Nestor Torres Friday, May 01, 2026 | 7:30PM Soka Performing Arts Center at Soka University of America

ABOUT THE EVENT Internationally acclaimed, Latin Grammy winning flautist Nestor Torres joins the celebration of the first 25 years of Soka University of America with a special commemorative concert.

“It is an immense honor and privilege,” Torres shares, “to have been part of the ceremonies of SUA’s first class and to return 25 years later. My heart is filled with great joy and profound gratitude.”

Blending Latin jazz, classical influences, and deeply personal storytelling, this concert presents a musical journey rooted in themes of peace, humanity, and inner transformation. The program features original compositions inspired by SUA’s and its Founder’s values, including the world premiere of Torres’ Disarmament Suite—a powerful work reflecting on the need for the abolition of nuclear weapons and the enduring legacy of mentor and disciple.

Nestor Torres’ relationship with Soka University of America is linked to its founding history. Having performed at the university’s inaugural ceremonies, his return for this 25th anniversary marks a full-circle moment of artistic and spiritual significance.

On November 1, 2001, SUA founder Daisaku Ikeda personally recognized Torres’ contributions, offering a message upon his Latin Grammy achievement. In it, he expressed heartfelt appreciation for Torres’ performance at SUA’s dedication and praised his mission to bring hope and inspiration to people around the world as “a magnificent emperor of art and an ambassador of peace and culture.”

This commemorative concert stands as a living embodiment of that shared vision—where music becomes a bridge between cultures, a force for peace, and a testament to the enduring bond between artist, mentor, and institution.

Program Highlights Concert will begin promptly at 7:30 pm with a powerful performance by SUA student club Josho Daiko.

Café Cubano A vibrant and joyful opening from Torres’ Latin Grammy-winning album This Side of Paradise

Let There Be Light A musical call to triumph over oneself and illuminate the world from within

Café Con Leche A celebration of youth, energy, and cultural vitality

Peace With Myself A reflective meditation on the idea that world peace begins within

Daybreak Torres’ original composition performed at SUA’s inaugural entrance ceremony, returning 25 years later as a symbol of hope: “The darker the night, the nearer the dawn.”

’Till Forever A heartfelt tribute honoring those we have lost, transforming remembrance into joy and purpose

ABOUT THE ARTIST NESTOR TORRES Nestor Torres is a Latin Grammy Award–winning flautist, mentor, author, and peacebuilder whose career spans more than four decades of performance, composition, education, and cultural ambassadorship. With a discography of 18 recordings, multiple Grammy and Latin Grammy nominations, and two honorary doctorates recognizing his artistic and cultural contributions, Torres has established himself as a distinctive and influential voice in contemporary music.

Formally trained at the Mannes School of Music, Berklee College of Music, and the New England Conservatory, he combines a strong classical foundation with a dynamic, genre-crossing voice. His extensive collaborations with artists such as Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Tito Puente, Gloria Estefan, Kenny Loggins, and Dave Matthews reflect a musical language that moves seamlessly from Cuban charanga and Latin jazz to classical, pop, and beyond.

Rooted in a deep sense of purpose, Torres views music as a vehicle for connection and transformation. Through his performances, educational work, and community engagement, he inspires audiences of all ages to see music as a bridge—uniting cultures, uplifting the human spirit, and advancing a more peaceful world.

Soka Performing Arts Center Mission Statement

Our mission is to Engage, Educate, and Elevate the Human Spirit Soka Performing Arts Center is dedicated to elevating the human spirit through transcendent live experiences.

Discover the unmatched beauty of our acoustics.

Expand your understanding and appreciation of music through our programs that illuminate new perspectives.

Build community and forge deep connections through the shared experience of live performance. We invite you to become a part of our Soka Performing Arts Center family and to Listen. Feel. Transform.

Listen.

Feel.

Transform.

ABOUT SOKA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

Soka Performing Arts Center is located on the beautiful hilltop campus of Soka University of America in Aliso Viejo. Our facility includes the 1,042seat Concert Hall featuring world-class acoustics designed by master acoustician Yasuhisa Toyota, designer of the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles and Suntory Hall in Tokyo, among many others. We also have an intimate 350-seat Black Box Theatre that allows for multiple seating configurations including club seating with bistro tables.

More than 800 performances have taken place since the center’s dedication on May 27, 2011. The 2025-26 season marks our fifteenth season presenting first-class programming in our world-class concert hall. We are continuing to expand our programming and outreach with the addition of a Children’s Concert Series and the only Great Pianists Series on the West Coast. From classical and jazz to world and contemporary music, the Soka Performing Arts Center has become a prized space for artists and audiences alike.

We are proud to be the home of the Pacific Symphony Chamber Orchestra.

Our Sundays @ Soka Series with Pacific Symphony continues to be one of our most popular series year after year. Our presentations with other Orange County arts organizations have enabled us to reach further into our community to offer arts education and programming. Our partnership with the Philharmonic Society of Orange County includes our Philharmonic Society Series, which brings superlative artists to our stage. We also partner with Philharmonic Society for our Outreach Program, bringing over 7,000 school children to Soka Performing Arts Center to experience live performances with outstanding musicians.

With its world-class acoustics and first-class performances, Soka Performing Arts Center is quickly becoming one of the cultural jewels of Orange County.

SOKA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER DONORS

OUR SUPPORTERS

DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE ($75,000+) Dr. Kenneth & Sandra Tokita Sam* & Lyndie Ersan CONCERTMASTER ($10,000+) Ms. Emi Maeda STAGE CHAMPION ($5000+) Yoshitomo & Takemi Daido STAGE BENEFACTOR ($1000+) Anonymous OC Chinese Cultural Club John and Sue Prange Terumi Saito Jochen Schumacher Alex & Sandy Scott Scott A Shuping Anson and Marilyn Wong PLATINUM CLEF ($500+) Anonymous Jeffrey Hendrix Edward D. Jones Jane A. Lynch GOLD CLEF ($200+) Judy Kaufman Lorraine Leiser Naomi Uchiyama SILVER CLEF ($100+) Renée Bodie Sam Chang Masako Inage Debrah Jiang Chiharu Nagai Paul Porto Thomas Prigorac Jonia Suri Joseph Whittaker BRONZE CLEF ($25+) Raquel Bruno Kenneth Hanawa Ryosuke Iga Jeannette Pease Joyce M Wrice Taro Yamanashi

* Deceased List current as of 09/26/2024 The Soka Performing Arts Center deeply appreciates the support of its sponsors and donors, and makes every effort to ensure accurate and appropriate recognition. Contact Renée Bodie, General Manager at (949) 480-4821 to make us aware of any error or omission in the foregoing list.

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Your support helps ensure Soka Performing Arts Center fulfills its purpose: to engage, educate, and elevate the human spirit. Your gift supports the programming of world-class performances, provides transformative educational outreach experiences, and opens the opportunity to build engagement with our community by sharing the joy of live music.

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CREATE YOUR OWN SUBSCRIPTION PACKAGE

Our subscription and renewal program provides you with even more flexibility in our season packages*. With our enhanced program, you now have the power to curate your very own unique experience.

• 15% Discount for a 3 performance package • 18% Discount for a 4 performance package • 20% Discount for a 5+ performance package *full details online at soka.edu/pac

OUR PARTNERS • Blueport Jazz • Philharmonic Society of Orange County • Pacific Symphony • Parnassus Society SOKA PAC MANAGEMENT TEAM Renée Bodie General Manager & Artistic Director John Morgan Box Office Manager Antoinette Rossman House Manager/Assistant to the General Manager Steve Baker Production Manager Jarmil Maupin Internal Events Manager Ian Smith Technical Services Manager Katie Ohrn Lighting Supervisor

Piano Tuners Kathy Smith Lead Tuner Ron Elliott David Stoneman David Vanderlip

@SokaPAC @SokaPAC SokaPerformingArtsCenter Website soka.edu/pac

SOKA UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA BOARD OF TRUSTEES Soka Performing Arts Center resides on the beautiful campus of Soka University of America.

We thank the SUA Board of Trustees and the SUA Leadership Council for all of their support.

SUA BOARD OF TRUSTEES Stephen S. Dunham, JD | CHAIR Vice President and General Counsel Emeritus, Pennsylvania State University | Baltimore, Maryland Tariq Hasan, PhD | VICE CHAIR Chief Executive Officer, SGI-USA | New York, New York Andrea Bartoli, PhD President, Sant’Egidio Foundation for Peace and Dialogue | New York, New York Matilda Buck Benefactor | Los Angeles, California Lawrence E. Carter, Sr, PhD, DD, DH, DRS Dean, Professor of Religion, College Archivist and Curator, Morehouse College | Atlanta, Georgia Andy Firoved CEO, HOTB Software | Irvine, California Jason Goulah, PhD Professor of Bilingual-Bicultural Education and Director, Institute for Daisaku Ikeda Studies in Education, Director of Programs in Bilingual-Bicultural Education, World Language Education, and Value-Creating Education for Global Citizenship, College of Education, DePaul University | Chicago, Illinois Clothilde V. Hewlett, JD Commissioner of Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, State of California | San Francisco, California

Karen Lewis, PhD Sondheimer Professor of International Finance and Co-Director, Weiss Center for International Financial Research, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Luis Nieves Founder, Chairman Emeritus AUL Corp, Benefactor | Napa, California Isabel Nuñez, PhD, MPhil, JD Professor of Educational Studies, Dean of School of Education, Purdue University Fort Wayne | Fort Wayne, Indiana Gene Marie O’Connell, RN, MS Health Care Consultant, Associate Clinical Professor, University of California, San Francisco School of Nursing | Corte Madera, California Adin Strauss General Director, Soka Gakkai International-USA | Santa Monica, California Yoshiki Tanigawa Benefactor, Soka Gakkai | Tokyo, Japan Gregg S. Wolpert Co-president, The Stahl Organization | New York, New York Edward M. Feasel, PhD President, Soka University of America (ex-officio member) | Aliso Viejo, California

SUA LEADERSHIP COUNCIL Edward M. Feasel, PhD President Chief Academic Officer Professor of Economics

M. Robert Hamersley, PhD Dean of Faculty Professor of Environmental Biogeochemistry

Archibald E. Asawa Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration Chief Financial Officer Chief Investment Officer

Hyon J. Moon, EdD Dean of Students Title IX and Section 504 Deputy Coordinator for Students

Katherine M. King, PHR Executive Vice President of University Community Chief Human Resources Officer Title IX and Section 504 Coordinator for Faculty, Staff and Others Michael Weiner, PhD Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Professor of East Asian History & International Studies Bryan E. Penprase, PhD Vice President for Sponsored Research and External Academic Relations Professor of Physics and Astronomy Tomoko Takahashi, PhD, EdD, LHD Vice President for Institutional Research and Assessment Dean of the Graduate School Professor of Linguistics and Education David Welch, JD Vice President University Counsel

Michelle Hobby-Mears, MBA Associate Dean of Students Director of Student Activities Andrew Woolsey, EdD Dean of Enrollment Services Martin Beck, MA Executive Director of Strategic Marketing and Communications